Loose-leaf binder.



J. SCHADE, JR.

LOOSE LEAF BINDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12 i915.

1,163,179., Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

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JOHN scnnnn, an, on BRooKLYN, NEW YORK, AssIG oR TO NATIONAL-VBIILANK BOOK COMPANY, or nonronn, MASSACHUSETTS, n VOLUNTARY rnUsT'AssooIArIoN on corAnrNnnsI-nr, HAVING AS :rnusrnns J. W. TOWNE, i. 13. TowNn, n. s. frowN 'J. M. TOWNE, AND r. w. WILsQN.

LoosnLnAr BINDER.

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To all 'whom it may concern: H I 7 Be it known that I, JoI-IN SoHAnn, Jr, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Binders; and I do declare thefollowingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in theart to, which it appertains to make and use the same. 7 a a 1 1 This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in boosters for loose leaf binders and appertains especially to a construction for opening or separating the prongs of a ring binder such as Ihave set forth in my copending application, filed February 24, 1915, and bearing SerialvNumber The primary aim of the inventionresides ina simpleand novel booster means for opening easily and quickly the binder prongs.

A further object is to provide a booster to cooperate with the prong holder and lock whereby the latter is housed and supported by the booster element when the prongs are opened.

The foregoing other objects are attained by the construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the preferred embodiment being illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout, and Figure 1 is a plan view of a loose leaf binder having the present invention: incorporated; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary bottom plan of the binder with part of the booster omitted; Fig. 3 is a detailed section on the line 33, Fig. 1, showing the relative position of the associated parts when the prongs are closed; Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrating the position of the parts when the prongs are opened; and Fig. 5 is an elevation similar to Fig. 2 with the booster completed and a portion of theend cap broken away. L

. Briefly, there is provided in the spec fic construction, a cover platebeneath which are disposed a pair of. prong-carrying plates v Specification of Letters Patent. Patentdneg, 1915, Application filed June i2, 1915. serial No. 33,717. i i r i or bars having their adjacentedges "meeting for swinging or rocking beyond dead center; a yieldable lock mechanism for frictionally retaining the barsfin position on either side of the dead center of their swinging movementga cap on each end of the cover plate constituting a housing and. guard for the locking mechanism and prong-carrying bars; and a boosterjournaled in each cap for pivotal movement and formed with a toe underlying the meeting edges of the bars for moving or forcing the latter beyond their dead center. ,a I More particularly, the binder comprises a cover plate 1 notched along itslongitudinal edges, as at 2, to'receive the prongs 3 which latter are preferablycomplemental 8. Each booster has an upwardlyextending portion curved about the cap and terminating in an .angularly disposed handle or thumb purchase 9. The opposite terminal portion extends horizontally beneath the bars t and ends in'a toe 1O disposedto engage the meeting edges of said bars. The booster is dished, as at 11, between the toe and trunnions and covers the pocket? The frictional or yieldable lock for holding the prongs either opened or closed consists of a ball 12 projecting into and adapted to pass through the pocket 5 and a bowed spring 13 interposed between the ball and the cap 6. a v When the binder is closed, the springs 13 tend to force theballs12 over the bars 4,

as depicted infFig. 3, to therebyhold the prongs closed, but on swinging the boosters 8 to cause their toeslO to move the bars 4 in a swinging manner, the. ballshlQ are shifted against the tension of their springs to register with, and pass through, the pockets 4 into the dished portions 11 of the boosters whereupon the springs will tend to force the balls beneath the bars 4: and thereby hold the prongs open. Thus, when the binder is closed, the balls and springs hold the meeting edges of the bars 4 below their dead center and in engagement with the toes 10, and when the binder is opened, the meeting edges of the bars 4 are retained above their dead center by the balls 12 which are then resting in the dished terminals of the boosters.

In operation, the binder is opened by pressing outwardly on the booster handles 9 which effects upward movement of the toes 10 to swing the bars 4 to the position disclosed in Fig. 4. The bars spring to open position after passing beyond dead center, as is obvious. V The binder is closed by manually forcing the prongs together during which operation the balls are moved against their spring tension and pass upwardly through the pockets 5 to project over the bars at for holding them down. The manual closing of the prongs automatically restores the boosters to normal position.

What is claimed is:

1. I11 a loose leaf binder, a pair of pivotally connected prong carrying members, a support therefor, a spring impelled element constantly under tension which always tends to ride above or beneath said members, and a booster pivotally mounted on said support and having its lower portion extended immediately beneath said members and substantially in contact therewith when the prongs are closed, the operation of said booster to open the prongs causing said element to be forced beneath said members.

2. In a loose leaf binder, a support, a prong carrying member rockingly mounted thereon, a loosely mounted spring impelled element engaging said member at its edge and always tending to ride above or beneath the latter and to hold the same in position with the prongs open or closed, and a booster pivotally mounted on said support and having its lower end extended beneath said member for contact therewith to open the prongs. I

3. In a loose leaf binder, in combination, a support, prong carrying members rockingly mounted therein, a spring impelled element engaging said members at their meeting edges, and a rockable lever contacting said members to open the prongs.

4L. In a loose leaf binder, asupport, movable prong carrying members mounted therein, loosely mounted spring impelled means adapted to ride above or beneathsaid members, and a lever pivotallymounted on said support and capable of operation to open the prongs.

.5. In a device of the character described,

a support, prong carrying members rockingly mounted thereon, a spring impelled element confined within restricted limits and constantly impinged against said members, and a booster lever supporting said element in one of its positions and operable to open the prongs.

(3. In a loose leaf binder, a support, a prong carrying member rockingly mounted thereon, a loosely mounted spring impelled element engaging said member at its edge and tending to ride over or beneaththe latter and to hold the same in position with the prongs closed or open, and a booster piv otally mounted on said support adjacent to said element and having its lower end extended beneath said member for contact to rock the'same, whereby the prongs may be opened and said element interposed between said'member and end.

7. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of pivotally connected prong carrying members, a support therefor, a spring impelled element constantly under tension which tends normally to ride above or beneath said members, and a booster pivotally mounted on said support adjacent to said element and having its lower portion extended immediately beneath said members and substantially in contact therewith when the prongs are closed, whereby the operation of said booster to open the prongs will cause said element to be interposed between said portion and members and the closing of the prongs will restore the booster to normal position. I

8. A loose leaf binder comprising a support, a. rockable prong carrying member thereon, a yieldably mounted ball acting against said member to render its movements resilient, and a booster element swingingly mounted and having a terminal engaging with said member to rock the same, said terminal supporting the ballwhen said member is rocked to open the prong.

9. A loose leaf binder, comprising a sup port, rockably mounted prong carrying members having pivotal relation at their inner edges, a loosely mounted resiliently acting locking means for holding sald members after their rocking movements, and a pivotally mounted boosterelement for contacting said members below their meeting edges. Q 10. A device of the character described, having movable prong carrying members, movable locking means holding said prong carrying members in either opened or closed positions, and a movable lock housing member for opening the prongs. I

11. In a loose leaf binder, asupport, a pair of prong carrying members mounted thereon and capable of rocking and having pivotal relation at their inner edges, a

booster. pivotally mounted on said support its and whose lower portion forms a portionof the base of said support, and is extended immediately beneath said members in contact therewith when the prongs are closed and a loosely mounted spring impelled element engaging said members and tending to ride over or beneath the same,said element being resiliently interposed between said portion and members when the booster is operated 1 to open the prongs, while the closing of the In testimony whereof I affix my signature 15 in presence of two witnesses.

' JOHN SCHADE, JR. Witnesses:

JOHN T; CoNDoN, Jos. P. CARROLL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

